The Blanket
by Peachlin
Summary: Hiccup's mother made him a blanket. It's one of the only things he has left of her. Astrid wants to fix it up because she knows how important it is to him. The only problem is, she didn't tell Hiccup about it before she took it. Now he can't find it, and he knows Astrid knows something about it.


**Summary: Hiccup's mother made him a blanket. It's one of the only things he has left of her. Astrid wants to fix it up because she knows how important it is to him. The only problem is, she didn't tell Hiccup about it before she took it. Now he can't find it, and he knows Astrid knows something about it.**

**This is a prompt fill. I would say it takes place between HTTYD 1&2 because no one knows Valka is alive.**

**Genre: Drama**

**Prompt Word: Blanket**

. . . . .

Hiccup doesn't remember his mother; he was too young when she died. Sometimes he tries to think back, tries to pull at the long-forgotten memories of having a mother. There are bits and pieces. A hint of color, a blurry shape, even a faint scent of leather and smoke - it's similar to his father, but it's softer, more feminine.

It's nearly impossible to remember anything substantial about her.

His father gave him one of her breastplates as a helmet to match his own, but it wasn't something he used often. His mind doesn't connect it to Valka, so it's usually in the trunk where he keeps odds and ends. He has often forgotten he had it until he needed something. Opening the lid, grimacing at the memory of the stilted conversation he and his father had had that day, he always pushed it aside for something else. It wasn't something that reminded him of his mother.

The one thing he had that truly made him miss someone he can't remember is the blanket Valka had started before she died. It was a patchwork of old clothes and bits of fabric, but he knew that pieces of material were hard to come by.

She had only managed to get a small square together - about three feet by three feet. He still had the box of scraps she had set aside for the project. He had always wanted to finish it, but he didn't trust himself to do it as well as she had. He didn't want to ruin it with shaking hands and tears of loss.

So, he kept it wrapped in a leather pouch, only taking it out on particularly bad days. He would hold it and try not to get tears and snot on it as he cried himself to sleep.

He used to have several bad days per week before he met Toothless. Before Astrid noticed him for more than a scrawny nuisance; before he saved the entire village and finally made his father proud to have him as a son.

Since then, whenever he had a bad day, he could go to Toothless or Astrid, and they would comfort him more than a blanket could. More than a nonexistent memory of someone he barely knew.

But on that one day - the anniversary of her death, he liked to take it out and try to remember her. Her smell and voice and smile and eyes and everything else that a mother was. He would imagine what his life could have been like if he had had a mother.

So, when he went up to his room to miss his mother, he opened the trunk and dug down the bottom, eyes burning before he could even wrap his hands around the prized possession.

When he didn't feel the pouch, his blood ran cold. He took everything out and looked in the corners. Panic numbed his limbs and made his mouth go dry. _Where is it? Where it is? Oh, Gods, I can't find it._ He took a breath and turned to the pile of odds and ends. He threw the junk around the room in an attempt to find the precious item.

His chest rose and fell in time with the pounding in his head, and sweat from his palms made gripping the items difficult as he tore through his room. He upturned his bed, tipped the trunk on its side, tossed the books and papers from his desk.

When a hand grabbed his wrist, he yelped and yanked back, only calming when he realized it was Astrid. Hiccup squeezed his eyes shut, leaning forward to rest his hands on his knees as he panted for breath.

Astrid's eyes, filled with confusion and fear, took in the demolished room before she asked, "What happened?"

Hiccup took a few more ragged breaths. "I can't find it."

She turned back to look at him. "What?"

Tears spilled over, and Hiccup turned to wipe his eyes. "The blanket. I can't find it." When he turned back, the guilt in her eyes made everything fall into place. "What did you do?"

"I- it was supposed to be a surprise."

"You- you took it? Why would you do that? You know how important it is to me!"

"I'm sorry. I should have told y-"

"How could you! I need it! I can't- why- Give it back!" His panic was growing again. How could she betray me like this?

"Stop yelling at me!"

They stared at each other, breathing harshly.

Hiccup took a shuddery breath, blinking back tears before he turned and stomped out of the room. His hands shook as his mind spiraled, his thoughts filled with hurt and betrayal.

He marched for the front door, throwing it open and stomping down the stairs as he tried to blink back tears.

He tried to calm his breathing as he made his way toward the woods, but each step was faster than the last, and pretty soon, he was sprinting into the trees.

All he could think about was the blanket. _Why would she take it? She knows how important it is to me, especially today of all days._ His one genuine connection to his mother - the only thing he had left of her.

After several minutes of running, Hiccup slowed to a walk, panting for breath as he continued forward.

Tears fill his eyes to bursting, but he refused to let them fall. He clenched his fists and grit his teeth as anger and grief clashed for dominance. Squeezing his eyes shut with a growl, he stomped forward until he tripped on an exposed tree root. He tumbled to the ground, landing in a fuming heap.

He stood with a growl of rage, grabbing the nearest object before he threw it at the nearest tree with all of his strength.

"Why did you leave me?! What did I do wrong?!"

Tears finally slipped free, cascading down his cheeks to drip off his chin. He dug the heels of his hands into his eyes until it hurt before he scrubbed them down his face.

A sob bubbled from his chest as he fell to the ground.

"Why did you have to leave me?"

He pulled his knees to his chest and buried his head in his hands as his grief and anger burst free in tears and cries of loneliness.

"I can't even remember you, but I miss you so much. I wish I could have been like the other kids in the village. I wish I could have grown up with a mother."

He wiped his shirt sleeves across his face before he stood. "I love you, mom."

He sniffed and turned to head back, wrapping his arms around his middle when a gust of wind made him shiver. Looking up, he rubbed his arms through his thin shirt. The tree branches swayed in the wind as storm clouds rolled in. "Great, this day just keeps getting better." He sighed and picked up his pace.

As he walked, his thoughts turned to the blanket. _Maybe I overreacted a little. I have no idea why she would take it, but I know she would never do anything to it. She knows how much it means to me._

He shivered again as large flakes of snow began drifting to the ground. _I should have grabbed a coat._ As he trudged back, he stuffed his hands into his armpits to keep them warm. He hadn't been paying attention when he stormed off, so he didn't know how long he had been walking.

A gust of wind nearly blew him over, and he stumbled forward before finding his balance. He wrapped his arms around himself again as he trudged forward through the biting wind and snow.

He kept moving forward, hunching his shoulders in an attempt to hold in as much warmth as possible. His eyes burned as the wind whipped past him.

By the time he spotted the village, he was half numb. He stumbled toward his house as fast as his legs would carry him, glad that almost everyone was indoors to avoid the cold. The last thing he wanted was for someone to stop him and ask questions.

Tripping up the stairs, he crashed into the door as he fumbled for the latch. He yelped and fell forward when the door swung open. Astrid caught him before he could hit the floor and pulled him inside, closing the door behind them.

"You're freezing! What happened?"

"I went for a walk." He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself as he walked toward the fire.

"Wait," Astrid said as she turned and ran up the stairs. Hiccup moved closer to the flames before turning back to watch her come down the stairs with a large bundle in her hands. As she approached, Hiccup's mind put the pieces together.

"Is that . . ."

"I wanted to get it done today. I took it to my parent's house to work on a couple of months ago. I had brought it home when I heard you upstairs, so I set it on the chair and went up to see if you were alright. I'm sorry I didn't tell you about it."

"No, it's. . . I overreacted. _I'm_ sorry."

She unfolded the much larger blanket and wrapped it around Hiccup's shoulders. He grasped the edges and pulled it tighter around himself, awe plain on his face. He took it in, mouth open as his eyes moved from one patch to the next. The colors were much brighter around the edges, and he could make out the faded line that divided the old piece from the new.

"It's- I . . . Thank you. I don't know what to say."

Astrid smiled. "You don't have to say anything; I know how important it is to you. I wanted to finish it. I know you've wanted to before, but it was too hard for you to think about."

Hiccup blinked several times as tears spilled down his cheeks. "This is the most amazing thing anyone has ever done for me." He smiled and pulled her in for a hug. "I'm so sorry for getting mad earlier."

"I know. Me too."

Feeling started seeping back into Hiccup's extremities as he pulled back and sat down in front of the fire. He pulled Astrid down next to him and draped the blanket over her shoulders. She smiled before leaning her head on his shoulder.

"I love you . . . Dork."

Hiccup snorted at the poor attempt at lightening the mood. "I love you too."

**. . . . .**

**Please let me know what you think in the comment!**


End file.
